Mounting plate



March 10, 1964 A. J. DE PIETRO 3,123,914

MOUNTING PLATE Filed May 8, 1962 United States Patent C) 3,123,914 MOUNTING PLATE Anthony I. De Pietro, Springfield, Pa., assignor to Medical Electronics and Research Corporation, Camden, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 8, 1962, Ser. No. 193,081 3 Claims. (Cl. 32-32) This invention relates generally to a device for use by dentists and more particularly to a device for use in the fabrication of artificial dentures.

In the fabrication of artificial dentures, it becomes necessary to secure denture models and clutch trays to the bow members of a dental articulator. Customarily, a thick mounting plate is detachably aixed to a bow member. The denture model or clutch tray is bedded on a thick body of plaster anchored to the mounting plate by elements extending from the latter and mushrooming into the body of plaster.

This expedient has not proved to be entirely satisfactory because the denture model or clutch tray and the plaster body cannot be separated as a unit from the mounting plate without breaking the plaster body, in consequence of which the dentist must keep on hand a large number of mounting plates i.e., one for each denture model and clutch tray he wishes to keep on hand ready for use. Thus he may have use for several hundred mounting plates, and since each costs approximately one dollar, he may find it necessary to keep live hundred or more dollars invested in such plates.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide means whereby a denture model or clutch tray and a thick body of plaster on which the denture model or clutch tray is bedded may be detachably secured to a mounting plate so that the two may be separated as a unit from the mounting plate without any necessity for injuring the plaster.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the following description is read with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a mounting plate constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are sections respectively on lines II-II and III- III of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the mounting plate; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical longitudinal section illustrating the mounting plate in use.

Referring to the drawing, a metal mounting plate constructed in accordance with the invention, designated 10, is provided at the rear thereof with rounded corners 12. The front of the mounting plate narrows, as at 14, and is provided with rounded corners 16. In a practical embodiment of the mounting plate the same may be 2% inches wide, 1A of an inch thick and 2% inches long. The plate is provided with a threaded central aperture 18, and with a pair of depressions 20 in the undersurface thereof respectively proximate the fore and rear ends of the plate. The plate is also provided with three through openings, designated 22, one of the openings being between the foremost depression 20 and the central aperture 18. The other two through openings 22 are disposed respectively on opposite sides of the plate, to the rear of the central aperture 18 and in advance of the rearmost depression 20, as shown. Each opening 22 is provided with a conical countersunk portion 24 at the lower end thereof and an enlarged diameter portion 26 at the upper end thereof.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 5, extending through each of the openings 22 is a screw 28 provided with a countersunk head 30 and a hex nut 32 terminating in a cylindrical body 34. The plate is seated upon a bow member 36 which mounts a pair of guide pins 38 extending upwardly into the depressions in the bottom of the 3,123,914 Patented Mar. 10, 1964 ice plate 10. A screw 40 projecting upwardly through the bow member 36 is threaded into the central aperture 18 of the plate 1t). The head of the screw 40, designated 42, engages the undersurface of the bow member 36. Overlying the plate 10 is a thick bed of plaster 44 which carries a denture model 46.

In the use of the mounting plate, nuts 32 are seated upon the top of plate 10 with their cylindrical bodies 34 nested in depressions 26. The length of the cylindrical bodies 34 is such that the undersurfaces of the hex nuts 32 are disposed a substantial distance above the upper surface of plate 10. Nuts 32 are afiixed to plate 10 by means of screws 28, the heads of the screws being iiush with the bottom of plate 10. Plate lil is placed upon bow member 36 with the guide pins 38 engaging in depressions 20. The pins 38 secure the plate 10 against turning about the axis of the screw 40. Screw 4) is threaded into the aperture 18 to anchor the plate 10 to the bow member 36. The denture model 46, for example, is suitably positioned relative to the plate 10 on the thick bed of plaster 44, the plaster being packed all around and under the nuts 32 and then allowed to harden. When desired, the denture model 46, plaster bed 44 and nuts 32 may be separated as a unit from plate 1t) after threading out the screw 40, lifting the denture model 46, plaster bed 44 and plate 10 as a unit from bow member 36 and threading out the screws 28. Thus the plate 10 is made available for reuse in mounting another denture model or clutch tray. When needed, the denture model 46, plaster bed 44 and nuts 32 may be reassembled as a unit with plate 10 and the whole remounted upon the bow member 36 as before, in exactly the same relationship relative to the bow member 36.

Thus the dentist has need for only two mounting plates 10 for each of his articulators.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention, as described and shown, is susceptible to various changes and modifications which may be made without any departure from the general principles or real spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended to claim the present invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as follows:

1. In combination with one of the bow members of a dental articulator, a denture mounting plate, means for detachably aliixing said mounting plate to said bow member in a predetermined position relative thereto, a plurality of nuts having reduced size portions depending from the undersides thereof [and seated upon the top of said mounting plate, said nuts being adapted for being firmly embedded in a mass of plaster overlying said mounting plate, a plurality of screws extending freely through said mounting plate and threaded respectively into said nuts and detachably securing the same to said mounting plate each in a predetermined position relative thereto.

2. In combination with one of the Ibow members of a dental articulator, a denture mounting plate, means for detachably aiiixing said mounting plate to said bow member in a predetermined position relative thereto, a plurality of nuts having reduced size portions depending from the undersides thereof, a plurality of screws extending freely through openings in said mounting plate and threaded respectively into said nuts and detachably securing the same to said mounting plate each in a predetermined position relative thereto, said openings being provided with enlarged portions affording depressions in the top of said mounting plate and said reduced size portions of the nuts being nested respectively in said depressions, the length of said reduced size portions of the nuts being greater than the depth of said depressions whereby to adapt said nuts for being firmly embedded in a mass of plaster overlying said mounting plate.

being greater than the depth of said depressions whereby to adapt said nuts for being firmly embedded in a mass of plaster overlying said mounting plate.

5 References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,636,304 House July 19, 1927 2,365,475 Klein Dec. 19, 1944 2,535,146 Lyons Dec. 26, 195C 10 2,802,503 zupa Aug. 13, 1957 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH ONE OF THE BOW MEMBERS OF A DENTAL ARTICULATOR, A DENTURE MOUNTING PLATE, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY AFFIXING SAID MOUNTING PLATE TO SAID BOW MEMBER IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION RELATIVE THERETO, A PLURALITY OF NUTS HAVING REDUCED SIZE PORTIONS DEPENDING FROM THE UNDERSIDES THEREOF AND SEATED UPON THE TOP OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE, SAID NUTS BEING ADAPTED FOR BEING FIRMLY EMBEDDED IN A MASS OF PLASTER OVERLYING SAID MOUNTING PLATE, A PLURALITY OF SCREWS EXTENDING FREELY THROUGH SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND THREADED RESPECTIVELY INTO SAID NUTS AND DETACHABLY SECURING THE SAME TO SAID MOUNTING PLATE EACH IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION RELATIVE THERETO. 